


Lose Yourself

by birdsandivory



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon Divergence, Defensive Ignis, Established Relationship, Fleurentia, Fluff, Handholding, M/M, Post Game, Ravnis, Ravus as King of Tenebrae, cute shit, soul searching, spoilers?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-08
Updated: 2017-10-08
Packaged: 2019-01-10 20:39:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12307302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/birdsandivory/pseuds/birdsandivory
Summary: “Why are we here?”“Do you not enjoy the Gardens of Tenebrae?”The scent of Sylleblossoms and Morning Glories surrounded him, familiar in the way their every breaths fell upon his flesh as though they were romancing an old flame, ever so seductive in their touch - though like a moth to the burning tendrils, it would only prove to char his skin, had he the desire to reignite it. And as expected, he did not.In which Ravus teaches Ignis to see without the use of his eyes.





	Lose Yourself

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I wrote this for [@stephicness](http://stephicness.tumblr.com) on Tumblr - which you should follow her if you do have a tumblr, she's great - and I decided to post it here because I am complete and utter trash for this pairing and you will one day be as well. It's perfect. 
> 
> Anyhow, I hope you enjoy it. You can also follow me [here](http://birdsandivory.tumblr.com) on Tumblr if you want to read any fictions that aren't posted here.
> 
> Inspired by the song [Illuminated by Hurts](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meDbLUKD3CI).

_"Swim with your sorrows_

_and try delusion for a while,_

_it's such a beautiful lie."_

_\- Illuminated, Hurts_

“Why are we here?”

“Do you not enjoy the Gardens of Tenebrae?”

The scent of Sylleblossoms and Morning Glories surrounded him, familiar in the way their every breaths fell upon his flesh as though they were romancing an old flame, ever so seductive in their touch - though like a moth to the burning tendrils, it would only prove to char his skin, had he the desire to reignite it. And as expected, he did not.

Ignis was once a man of great pride, of hardy memory, the ability to bring clarity to even the most muddled of visions. And though he wished to entertain Ravus’ whims, his good intentions disguised as biting words and playful commands - there was simply no advantage to gain from a view he could not see. Pride was no longer his shield, clarity no longer attainable, and there was a sense of foreboding within him that spoke to his fear of forgetting all he had once known to be true. 

Even now, he failed to recall just how many petals each Morning Glory had, if it was they or the Ocean Breeze Orchids that surrounded the grand fountain within the gardens - if the marble was ivory or a soft silver hue. The suffocation of being trapped within his own mind while the rest of the world continued on, why, it was more a prison of shackles than anything.

He would rather be within  _real_  walls.

At the very least, the palace provided salvation. It had been mere months since the time of his injury, since their victory and yet, he would rather dedicate himself to knowledge than battle forevermore; it was all he had within his grasp and control. How Ravus expected him to receive the same pleasure from a stroll as he used to, he did not know nor did he care to, for he could not even put a finger on how far they had walked or where in the large expanse their destination lied. 

A hand was placed against his chest and he ceased his footsteps. 

“We’re here.”

“And where is that?”

“A place of healing, if you will.” The man’s voice was light despite its depth, as though he did not wish to disturb the peacefulness of the atmosphere, radiant and as quiet as he believed he’d ever heard his voice become. “Sit.”

Lashes fluttered before sightless eyes, a look of confusion upon his visage as he stayed put, attempting to decipher the riddles he thought to be there without his vision to put expression to word. 

“Do so, for me, if that will assist in your decision.”

Ravus’ tone was hardly patronizing, its comfortable level being all the nudging he had needed, and he slowly bent to set his cane upon the grass before lowering himself to the ground. It was moments after that he felt crossed knees pressed against his own, painfully aware of the other’s presence in such close proximity, not quite understanding what he wished to accomplish. 

“We are sitting, it seems. Now, would you tell me what all of this is about?”

“Close your eyes.”

The command was met with a blind, piercing gaze, for he knew Ravus sat before him and had not an issue with giving to him the glare he’d been blessed with. “I cannot see, if you’ve forgotten. It would not matter if my eyes remained open or not.”

“Ah, but it does. Close your eyes, so that you will not focus on what you  _cannot_ see. I will do so as well.”

“Are you just saying such a thing?”

There was the brief sound of shuffling before hands encased his own, the feeling of fingertips gently tugging off his gloves and leaving him exposed, but he did not protest it. Even when the stark contrast of a warm hand and frigid metal caressed his calloused palms, he did not flinch, only found purchase in a tenderness he knew so well. 

“If you do not believe me, find out for yourself.”

If there was one thing Ignis knew, it was that Ravus was sincere in keeping his word when the moment provided, but that did not stop him from reaching out - hands meeting the other’s royal raiment, gliding over fabric of great expense and along the column of the man’s throat before they gently made their way over sharp jaw and cheek, finally ghosting atop long lashes. Though he had known that Ravus had indeed closed his eyes, the confirmation was soothing, allowing him to finally do the same. “It is done.”

“What do you see?”

A wave of bitterness washed over him. “Is that a joke?”

“Hardly.” Hands held his own, lowering them to his lap as they curled into loose fists, as though he had not the conviction to see his anger through. “How are you to go to battle once more if you cannot even hone your newfound skills?”

“I would not call being blind a  _skill_ , though I am surprised you are attempting to impart wisdom upon me.”

“I am beyond your years, if you’ve forgotten.” There was amusement in his voice, he could tell, and it was a strange new sensation within him - being able to speak so freely of a vulnerability after sealing it away for so long. The sigh that escaped his lips was exasperated, but it was a precursor to admittance of his own shortcomings.

“I am of no use in battle, Ravus. This much is true.”

“That is not what I have heard. There are stories of an intelligent blind advisor who bested the fearsome Malboro.”

“It was but luck.”

“No.” Ravus’ hands pulled away, and he felt cold without the warmth that enveloped his own, their only connection being crossed knees and the air they breathed. “In times past, there were a great many soldier who would willingly steal from themselves their sight. They made for great warriors, sensing what other’s could not, seeing what they  _failed_  to see. It is not so strange for a man such as yourself to be among the ranks.”

Ignis could feel the reversal of roles, somehow humbled by the fact that he was not always quite so wise, that for once in his life - someone had an answer he did not and that they wished to solely see him succeed in his goal. He had put far too much faith into hoping his eyesight would recover with time and it was possibly his downfall, that aching disappointment, but never once had he thought that it was possible for him to want to give up. How he had ended up doing so, he did not know.

“You simply need to find yourself.”

“And how do you suggest I do that?”

There was a touch of hands along his forearms, traveling their way upward ever so slowly, each and every inch they covered released of tension - as if the strings that knotted his nerves had unlaced, nothing but exaltation left in their wake. Ravus’ breath was a tender touch to his lips, his own parting to inhale as if they shared the same life, words but a gasp.

“ _Lose yourself_.”

The wind rustled in his surroundings, crisp and beautiful like that of whispered blessings, stems as chimes filling the air with sounds he would have sooner ignored had he not realized they were there within that moment.

“Lose myself?”

“If you do, you will be able to see even more than you had before. You will never question where you stand again.”

Ravus’ fingertips had taken to carefully feathering along his jawline until they took to the nape of his neck, locks becoming tangled in his grasp. Ignis had taken the moment to breathe deeply then, his own hands holding tightly to the other’s coat, thinking carefully of his next words - though, he had been hushed before even beginning.

“Don’t speak.”

It had been a triggering thought and somehow, he believed he could feel the tremor of the ground beneath them, the earth’s heartbeat in time with his own - holding him at his very core. 

“Just feel.”

The air was singing then, whispering as they were divided by branches of nearby trees, weaving their way through delicate stems and evergreen leaves that reached for the sky. It smelled strongly of flora, strongly of dew, and when Ravus’ forehead brushed his own - arms a cage around his shoulders and lips so close he could feel them move as he spoke - Ignis thought wildly of how curious it was that dew smelled of life itself.

“Lose yourself.”

And as lips descended on his own, Ignis could finally see a field of Sylleblossoms.


End file.
